Essential hypertension is one of the most common dis-eases in the Western world, affecting
about 26.4% of the adult population, and it is increasing (1). Its causes are heterogeneous
and include genetic and environmental factors (2), but several observations point to an
important role of the kidney in its genesis (3). In addition to variations in tubular transport
mechanisms that could, for example, affect salt handling, structural characteristics of the
kidney might also contribute to hypertension. The burden of chronic kidney disease is also …